Where there's a will (and a little skill), there's a way to cut the cost of home upgrades. These 10 DIY projects could save you hundreds or thousands of dollars compared to the price of hiring a pro.

1. GRIND AWAY A STUMP

1. GRIND AWAY A STUMP

A pro knows how to subdue stumps and roots using unwieldy machinery. An expert can grind a 20-inch stump down to 6 to 8 inches below ground in about 30 minutes. "You don't want an ugly stump sitting there," says Linda Morrow, co-owner of Gene's Stump Grinding Service in Wichita, Kan. "It's extra work to mow around it."

You can do it if you rent a stump grinder (about $87 for 4 hours) and contain the wood chips and dirt. Morrow sets up a plywood barricade. ("Debris flies everywhere," she says.) Wear gloves, boots, goggles, and earplugs.

2. SEAL AN ASPHALT DRIVEWAY

2. SEAL AN ASPHALT DRIVEWAY

A pro knows how to remove tough oil stains by burning them off with torches before seal-coating. Pros also have access to commercial-grade sealers that contain more latex than those sold to DIYers at home centers. "The extra latex gives it a longer-lasting, more durable finish. We also add sand, which provides better traction," says Arthur Alexander, owner of Midlothian Paving in Powhatan, Va.

You can do it if you can master the sealant brush, which resembles a push broom paired with a squeegee, to evenly apply the sealer. "Squeeze out heavy lines or buildup," Alexander says. Repair fissures with a crack filler, scrub oil stains with a liquid laundry detergent, and add a pound of silica sand per gallon of sealant. (But leave the torching to a pro!)